The embodiments herein relate generally to cup holding trays and devices.
With the increasing consumption of gourmet coffees, lattes and other beverages, larger and bulkier take-out cups are being used to store these beverages. As a result, there is a growing need for a more reliable, comfortable and user-friendly cup-carrier to be used by the general public.
Existing cup-carriers or trays designed more than 20-30 years ago are outdated, unsafe, unreliable and are no longer satisfying the needs of users as a reliable cup-carrier that can accommodate today's larger and heavier cups and the fast moving lifestyle of individuals. Specifically, these cup carriers and trays are limited because they lack the desired depth to accommodate different-sized cups including larger and heavier cups. Further, these cup carriers do not provide proper designated hand holding areas to improve the balance and weight distribution of the carrier and any cups stored thereon. This makes it difficult to maneuver the carrier and results in the increased frequency of spillage due to tilted cups, monetary loss for shop owners for cup refills, and/or cleaning costs or burdens for individuals to remove beverage stains from their clothing.
Several other plates and trays for supporting cups and glasses are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0231438, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,947,011 and 6,622,885. However, these plates and trays are disadvantageous because they do not adjust to accommodate variable-sized cups including larger and heavier cups. In addition, these plates and trays do not effectively support the bottom of the cup and therefore require the user to manually grab and support the cup. As a result, these cup supporting devices require significant user effort to maintain the proper support, balance and weight distribution of the devices when in use.
As such, there is a need in the industry for an ergonomic cup holder storage apparatus that addresses the limitations of the prior art, which effectively accommodates different sized cups and enhances the stability, ease of use and weight distribution of the apparatus.